The present invention relates generally to filtering systems, and more particularly to filtering systems to be used with but separate from an electrosurgical device.
Apparatus which are useful to evacuate fluids and particulate matter from patients are known in the art, particularly in connection with medical and dental procedures. U.S. Pat. No. 2,784,717 to Thompson discloses an evacuative suction apparatus which is useful for evacuative dental purposes wherein a stream of water is sprayed onto the area being worked on. To evacuate and filter the waste water and material, Thompson '717 utilizes a flexible, perforate bag as the air filter means in an entrapment device which is interposed between a suction means and a fluid-conducting means.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,012,322 to Thompson discloses a dental and surgical evacuative suction apparatus similar to the '717 patent. The '322 patent to Thompson demonstrates the use of an entrapment device for the elimination of liquids and solids contained in the stream of air withdrawn from the mouth of a patient.
The utilization of lasers and electrosurgical devices are being utilized in surgical procedures by the medical community. Use of these techniques can lead to the production of smoke plume around the worksite on the patient, the smoke containing burning tissue fragments and micro-blood droplets containing live viruses such as HIV, HBV, HPV, etc. which can be released into the surrounding area and can cause problems for health care workers.
Filters and smoke evacuators of the prior art have not been generally suitable for removing and containing particulate matter generated during the use of such laser and electrosurgical devices. Some such devices commercially available are large, bulky equipment in which contaminants removed by means of various filters are not effectively contained. For example, such devices typically use canisters which when handled during the replacement of the filters, can come into contact with personnel changing the filter, thus potentially exposing health care workers to the contaminant thus removed.
Other such devices do not effectively and efficiently separate other such contaminants. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, effective containment of all tissue and bodily fluids is extremely important in light of the risk of transmission of communicable diseases.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a particulate and smoke evacuator which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a filtration and smoke evacuator apparatus which is highly efficient, which effectively contains particulate matter and bodily fluids with virtually no risk of exposure to health care workers and which has the ability to effectively separate substantially all known viruses.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a particulate and smoke evacuator apparatus which is relatively inexpensive, compact in size and can be conveniently mounted on the wall in physicians' offices without interfering with the use of other equipment commonly found there.